Colchester East Hants Health Authority

Care with characterColchester East Hants Health Authority CEO Peter MacKinnon shares his healthy philosophy with Jenn Monroe. When designing plans for meeting the future healthcare needs of its community, the Colchester East Hants Health Authority (CEHHA) had among its considerations not only its demographics but also its geology and its geography. The organization was created by the Nova Scotia Department of Health in January 2001 and today provides healthcare for the 73,000 residents of Colchester County and the Municipality of East Hants. Peter MacKinnon, CEO, says the CEHHA found that its population is growing and aging, which is a slightly different mix than in other districts in the province. ÔÇ£We looked at the long-range needs of the community and the factors that drive those needs,ÔÇØ he says. ÔÇ£We looked at what kinds of services we would need for our older as well as our other cohorts.ÔÇØ At the heart of the organizationÔÇÖs plans was the improvement of its hospital facilities, but it had to decide whether to renovate the existing Colchester Regional Hospital or to build a new hospital. ÔÇ£We studied what kind of facility we needed,ÔÇØ MacKinnon says, ÔÇ£and then considered rehabilitation versus building new.ÔÇØAlthough the projected budget for renovations was less than building something new, other factors make the idea of staying in its current location less attractive. Primary among them was the lack of space for expansion. So the CEHHA set out to find a suitable site for a new hospital. This was not without its challenges, as the district is located on the Bay of Fundy, which produces the highest tides in the world. Because of this, the areas surrounding the bay are subject to intense flooding, particularly during the spring season. But while flooding was one primary concern, the authority had a total of 40 factors to consider in its site selection. The CEHHA also wanted to make the new facility easily accessible to all residents, but still close to Truro, the largest population center. After a year, a 38-acre site that met all criteria was finally chosen. ÔÇ£The new site gives us that flexibility for future expansion,ÔÇØ MacKinnon says. ÔÇ£There is enhanced access because itÔÇÖs adjacent to the main highway that runs through the province, and itÔÇÖs just on the edge of Truro.ÔÇØDesign of the new hospital was just as detailed and labor-intensive. From the start, the authority wanted to create a building that provided a positive environment, inside and out. ÔÇ£We wanted to maximize the strengths of the site and create a connection between the building and the site itself,ÔÇØ MacKinnon says. ÔÇ£We wanted the character of the building and its functionality to support the human process and create a healthy environment for the staff.ÔÇØFor example, the building will feature an abundance of natural light, and patients and visitors will be able to find their way with the help of many windows. ÔÇ£YouÔÇÖll be able to line up where you are inside with the outside,ÔÇØ MacKinnon says. A sky-lit hallway will allow everyone to see from the front through to the back of the building. MacKinnon gave credit to the architectural team, a joint venture between WHW Architects of Halifax and the Farrow Partnership of Toronto, for successfully achieving those goals, as well as bringing in features that will allow the authority to attain at least LEED certification. ÔÇ£WeÔÇÖre comfortable and confident about getting the certification,ÔÇØ MacKinnon says. ÔÇ£WeÔÇÖll be the first hospital in Nova Scotia to achieve it. But weÔÇÖre aiming for Silver. WeÔÇÖre making choices around building materials and our approach to construction. WeÔÇÖre leaving the door open to exceed LEED certification.ÔÇØCEHHAÔÇÖs new regional hospital will be horizontal, not vertical in its layout, with three sections. ÔÇ£The whole philosophy of the layout has to do with our geography,ÔÇØ MacKinnon says. ÔÇ£ItÔÇÖs in our favor. With 38 acres, we had the chance to provide something other than a high-rise option.ÔÇØAt the front will be ambulatory care, such as the new advanced urology services, mental health, addiction services, disease management, and rehabilitation programs, as well as the administrative offices. ÔÇ£The long front end lends itself to high foot traffic for shorter encounters,ÔÇØ MacKinnon says. At the center, in a rectangular section, will be the emergency department, operating rooms, laboratory services, and the intensive care unit. Because of the horizontal shape, all these departments could be located adjacent to each other with just one floor change, making the movement of patients and staff much easier. Although the facility isnÔÇÖt scheduled to open until 2011, the building is already attracting interest from future staff. ÔÇ£WeÔÇÖre already seeing improvement in the recruitment of critical care nurses,ÔÇØ MacKinnon says. ÔÇ£Internally, it will promote a positive feeling for staff. ThatÔÇÖs been a selling point. WeÔÇÖll have a modern facility and the appropriate layout of space for workflow.ÔÇ£ItÔÇÖs a big project, but weÔÇÖre not a huge teaching hospital,ÔÇØ he continues. ÔÇ£We have a little smaller feel, which is another appeal for us. ItÔÇÖs the combination of softer things with technological things.ÔÇØAll of CEHHAÔÇÖs services will either be expanded or enhanced with the new hospital. The emergency department space will double, and palliative care will become a stand-alone unit with a solarium and a balcony. Its new advanced urology services are already being developed with the hiring of new physicians. Not only will the urology department have its own area in the new facility, but it will also offer services, surgery and day programming to its district and three others. ÔÇ£It will be a technologically advanced facility,ÔÇØ MacKinnon says. ÔÇ£The new ICU layout will be state-of-the-art, and weÔÇÖll have an emergency department that is built on best practices.ÔÇØFor the rest of this year, MacKinnon is looking forward to watching the building process. Concrete for the foundation is scheduled to be poured in October, with framing also being done in the fall.